This is a difficult question to answer as we don't have the information needed to answer this yet. In the past we saw processing times that were within a year, but this has been increasing and applications were taking around 3 years or more. There is no longer processing priority for Significant Investor visa applications. Based upon the current planning levels, the processing time for the subclass 188 visas which include the Significant Investor stream, the processing time would be up to 12 years (the maximum is for the most recent applications at the end of the queue). Also note there are no new applications possible for the Significant Investor visa. I am hopeful there will be a replacement program introduced later next year but at this time we don't know anything for certain. I think it's likely that if there is a new program introduced next year, it will have a faster processing time and will not be limited or impacted by the large queue of existing subclass 188 applications. Assuming you did make an application for the Subclass 188 already (as there are no new applications possible now, and probably not again in the future), if you held a substantive visa for Australia, such as a visitor visa, at the time the Subclass 188 was lodged, regardless of whether you're inside or outside of Australia at that time, you can arrange for a Bridging Visa A in Australia that will allow you to live and work in Australia until the Subclass 188 is granted. If you were in Australia when the Subclass 188 was lodged then the Bridging Visa will normally be automatically granted. If you were outside of Australia at that time, you'll need to apply for the Bridging Visa A when you are next in Australia. Many people don't realize that the Bridging Visa is still possible even if the Subclass 188 was lodged outside Australia as long as the applicant held a substantive visa for Australia at the time the Subclass 188 was lodged.
